


A Flying Visit

by flightinflame



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M, Nesting Clint Barton, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Pining, Puppy Piles, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-28
Updated: 2014-11-28
Packaged: 2018-02-27 08:32:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2686178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint misses Phil.  The team nest together to keep his mind off of it, but Tony has a better idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Flying Visit

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed and titled by the wonderful shadowhaloedangel.

Logically, Christmas was just another day. Clint got that. Clint knew that Christmas just happened to be on the 25th of December, and that was that. There might have been a religious reason for it, but he wasn't religious so the date didn't matter. He'd had missions in safehouses on Christmas, or undercover, and he had coped.

This was different. This Christmas, every single advert seemed to be going on about how you should be with your loved one. There was even that stupid one with the penguin, where the little stuffed toy wanted a friend on Christmas, and it was all just getting under his skin. Phil was away, off doing important things, and Clint was going to spend the day in the range and just forget about it all.

It was Christmas Eve, and he stood in the range, notching up arrow after arrow. It was hitting the target perfectly, had done for the last three hours, but the peace that normally came from shooting evaded him. 

He barely noticed as Bruce walked in, only turning when he cleared his throat.  
"What is it doc?"  
"I wanted to check on how you were... your hands look sore..."   
It was only then that Clint glanced down at his hands, noticed that they were bruised, that one of his fingers was bleeding. Bruce reached out and he went willingly, letting him take him to his room and gently clean the injuries. He might have been hurting, but he refused to put his team at risk.

When it was cleaned and bandaged, Bruce sent him to the shops to grab some more hot chocolate mix, telling him it would be quicker than ordering off Jarvis. 

Once Clint was gone, Bruce looked up towards the ceiling.  
"Jarvis, can you get the team together in the living room quickly please?"  
"Of course doctor Banner." Jarvis reassured, before calling out to do just that. 

Bruce hurried to the living room to find that the team were flopped around on various chairs; Tony playing with a touch pad, Thor and Bucky arguing over the channel, while Sam and Rhodey were talking quietly in the corner. Natasha looked a little quiet, and Steve looked up as he approached.  
"What's wrong Bruce?"  
"It's Clint." Bruce tried to explain. "He's missing Phil, I know that he is, and he's finding it so hard... I just thought maybe we could do something for him, help him relax..."

"He likes the stupid children's Christmas films." Natasha supplied the information easily, shooting a soft smile at Bruce. Bruce nodded his thanks.  
"Alright, we can watch a film, anything else?"  
"We could make a nest." Steve explained. "Uh... Blankets, mattresses, pillows, cushions... it’s a bit like a blanket fort, but you lay on the top, and you burrow down..." He turned slightly pink around the ears, but Bucky was beaming.

"I think that's a great idea." The ex-assassin joined in, gesticulating with his mismatched arms. "We used to do it all the time when we were little, curling up and cuddling and it... it was good. We can do that."  
"Thor and I can grab some mattresses?" Steve suggested. "If the rest of you can find anything else warm."  
"I'm going to get the Iron Man themed blankets I got last week from PR." Tony told them. Rhodey cleared his throat and the engineer smiled and continued. "And the Iron Patriot ones."  
"I'll get cushions." Natasha supplied.  
"I'll get bean bags." Sam added. They split up, grabbing the necessary supplies and getting to work on creating a suitable shelter for the team.

By the time that Clint came back with a tin of chocolate powder in hand, stamping the snow off of his feet and bitching about the crowds, the entire team were waiting in the living room.

He walked in through the door and froze, taking in the sight of all of them cuddled up together under blankets and quilts.  
"Uh..."  
"We've made a nest." Bruce explained.  
"And there's a spot in the middle right for you." Steve encouraged. "Go on, join in, you'll feel better if you do."

Reluctantly he sat down at the edge, but Steve moved him bodily, lifting him and then putting him down carefully in the middle of the bed. Natasha was sat beside him, and she reached out to gently stroke his hair.  
"This all for me?" He asked in disbelief, unable to hide a slight smile as she agreed.

"We thought we could relax and watch some terrible kids' films."  
"Thanks guys." Clint answered, voice shaking a little. "Thank you."  
"It's alright Clint." Sam said gently, trying to reassure him. "Everyone here cares about you. You're hurting, you tell us."  
"Yeah, we can't fix it if you don't tell us, you donut." Bucky joined in. Thor frowned slightly.  
"I did not believe that was an insult."  
"It can be if I say it is. I'm like 90."  
Thor chuckled to himself.  
"Oh yeah." Bucky muttered, rubbing at the back of his neck. Steve laughed, and the team huddled closer.

Tony looked down at them all, snorting as The Grinch Who Stole Christmas started to play. As far as he was concerned, this entire idea to fix Clint was fundamentally flawed. It was an elegant, complex solution, but one that had been created for a problem which ultimately had one, very simple answer. He rubbed at his forehead.  
"Guys, I've got a bit of a headache. Left some painkillers in the workshop, so I'm going to get them... don't let me stop you playing your films. I expect that watched by the time I'm back. It’s pretty weird."  
"Yes sir!" Clint called back, throwing a mock salute. He looked calmer now, easier. The tension that had filled his body on the range had eased a little and he seemed more peaceful. 

After a while he reached out, flailing with one arm until he bumped into someone. Without checking, he demanded popcorn.  
Rhodey snorted and got to his feet, nudging Steve's side gently with a toe.   
"Come on. We'd better get some beer as well."  
"Whatever you say Colonel." Steve answered, going with him.

As the two of them returned, burdened with bowls of popcorn and crates of beer, Tony appeared beside them, smiling to himself.  
"Feeling much better. Did I miss much? We're watching the Nightmare Before Christmas next."  
"No we aren't." Clint protested. "That's a Halloween film."  
"It's a Christmas film bird brain. It says it in the title."  
"Screw you Tony."

Tony paused.   
"I'm right, I know I'm right, guys back me up here. Bucky, come on, agree with me."  
"I can't." Bucky laughed. "He's a sniper, I'm on his team."  
"Oh that's just... Bruce, you're a genius, that means you're on my team... uh, yeah, Sam, you're a smart man, you're on my side..."  
"Hey." Bucky pouted, throwing a cushion over at Tony. It hit Thor in the face and he blinked, before depositing it on Tony's head.

It was seconds before a full on pillow fight broke out between Bucky, Thor and Tony, whilst Steve and Sam still gallantly attempted to watch the film. Clint was focused on Natasha's hands in his hair, his mind wandering, barely hearing his friends' laughter.  
"Guys." He said urgently, calling out to them.   
"What?" Steve asked, instantly springing into command, ready to face any threat.

Clint pointed out of the window, to where a blur of red and gold was heading towards the tower. As it came closer, it was clear it was one of the Iron Man suits.

Clint glanced between the suit and Tony in concern.  
"You need not worry." Jarvis soothed.  
"Really?" Clint asked. "Because right now I feel pretty fucking worried."  
"Don't." Tony agreed. "I know what’s going on. It was just out doing a patrol, and then came to be friendly."

Natasha nodded slowly, whilst the others looked blank.

The suit landed on the balcony and walked into the room, turning its head slowly as it surveyed the tangle of blankets and pillows. After a few seconds it walked forwards, sitting down on the edge of the nest, then crawling towards the middle. It wrapped its arms around Clint and pulled him close.

Clint had to laugh at that, waving his hands in an attempt to shoo the suit away.  
"I might be lonely Stark, but I don't need a robot cuddle buddy. I'm not that desperate."  
"You should be honoured one of my suits is taking an interest in you. It could do far better."  
"Uh-huh." Clint muttered, still trying to squirm away. "I've already got a boyfriend, I don't need a suit perving on me..."  
"What about your boyfriend?" Phil's voice asked, as the faceplate of the suit slid up to reveal him sat inside. He stood for a moment, allowing the armour to disappear, then dropped back down into the blankets, cuddling up beside Natasha with Clint on his lap. He made gentle soothing noises in an attempt to relax him, holding him tight against his chest.

Clint could barely believe what was happening. Phil was here.

He clung to him more tightly, burying his face against Phil's chest.   
"I thought... you were working, you're director now, you don't have... you don't have time..."  
"Chill." Tony murmured, reaching out to gently pat Clint on the arm. "I've got it sorted. I thought we could all get together. Didn't want Christmas ruined by you moping."  
"Screw you Stark." Clint muttered. "I didn't mope."  
"Uh-huh." Tony raised an eyebrow. "You didn't mope, and you're not desperately clinging to him now, right? That's how it works?"  
"Glad you understand it." Clint agreed, smiling up at Phil. "Seriously, it's good to see you. But you need to… to work..." He admitted, hesitantly.  
"Stark lined up an LMD to do my job for the day. Nothing that is happening is so crucial that I can't spend today with you. I'll go back late tomorrow evening, and no one will even need to know that I've been gone."  
"Okay..." Clint smiled, leaning in to kiss him. "You could have just told me you were coming."  
"We weren't planning this." Phil admitted, one hand buried in Clint's hair, his thumb rubbing soothing circles at the back of his neck. "Tony literally just called me up to ask."

"Thanks." Clint smiled over at Tony, then cuddled up with Phil. "We're watching stupid films and then Bruce and Steve are working on Christmas dinner while the rest of us see how many mince pies we can eat. At least Thor, Bucky and I am…I'm going to break my record."

Coulson chuckled and raised an eyebrow.   
"That would be interesting to see..." He paused.  
"You can sit with me and laugh if you like sir." Natasha offered.  
"I think I will." Phil answered with a smile. "As long as he doesn't make himself sick."  
"I'm still right here." Clint muttered, his voice muffled against Phil's chest. Natasha laughed softly.

Steve passed over some chocolate, and Clint grabbed it, eating hungrily. He held some up for Phil to eat, then leaned in for a kiss.  
"I've missed you." Clint whispered.   
"Missed you too." Phil answered, rubbing his back. "You're doing great."

"It's good to see you Agent Coulson." Steve greeted him, clasping his shoulder tightly. Coulson grinned at him. All of them cuddled up, with Clint and Phil tangled up in the middle.


End file.
